The Stories team at the Center for American Progress Action Fund works with storytellers who author op-eds about how policy impacts their lives. The team helps elevate their op-eds.
With 20 years working in healthcare, my ICU memories stand out the most. As an ICU nurse, I’ve not only witnessed the dire effects of diabetes in patients, but I have also lived it myself. An estimated 37 million Americans, about 11.3% of the US population, have diabetes.
A frequent circumstance I witnessed in the hospital was treating diabetic patients who struggled with complications due to rationing their insulin. Limited access to medication significantly impacts health, especially in diabetes management. Many patients, facing financial constraints, can’t afford insulin, are forced to ration their supply, and often end up hospitalized with worsening health conditions, including kidney disease, cardiac and vascular issues, vision loss, and even death.
The above excerpt was originally published in The Keystone.
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